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Stabilization of Lipid Lamellar Bilayer Structure of Stratum Corneum Modulated by Poly (2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) in Relation to Skin Hydration and Skin Protection

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Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Aims and scope

Abstract

Background:

One crucial factor in skin tissue engineering is to understand the hydration and barrier property of skin. We investigated the skin hydration and stabilization strategy of inter-lamellar structure of stratum corneum (SC) using poly (2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC).

METHODS:

The unique hydration and stabilization potency of PMPC on the barrier function of the SC examined using freshly excised hairless mouse skin as a model membrane and the relationship between the stabilization of the lipid lamellar bilayer (LLB) and its enhanced water holding capacity was established.

RESULTS:

Differential scanning calorimeter based on the phase-transition temperature of lipid domain of SC demonstrated that PMPC stabilized the LLB. The ratio of the heat of lipid phase transition (△H) of SC exposed to water and PMPC for 24 h was 1.51. X-ray crystallography showed the presence of well- organized lipids in intercellular membranes exhibiting short and long periodicity of lamellar phases. The peak at 4.4 nm attributed to the long periodicity phase (LPP) was missing in water-treated SC, where, the presence of 4.2- 4.4 nm peak in PMPC treated SC indicated that PMPC stabilized LPP. Transmission electron microscopy study demonstrated that the LLB structure became more rigid and orderly in PMPC treated SC.

CONCLUSION:

The unique ion paired structure of PMPC enhances the barrier function of the SC by stabilizing LLB structure and hydration by inducing weakly bound water. The unique hydration state and stabilization effect from extended water exposure could provide a valuable information to prepare reliable artificial skin matrix and skin tissue.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by the Duksung Women’s University Research Grants 2020.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Pharmacy, Duksung Women’s University, 33 Samyang-ro 144-gil, Dobong-gu, Seoul, 01369, Korea

    Ae-Ri Cho Lee & Heekyung Moon

  2. Department of Materials Science, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo Bunkyo-yu, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan

    Kazuhiko Ishihara

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  1. Ae-Ri Cho Lee
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  2. Heekyung Moon
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Correspondence to Ae-Ri Cho Lee.

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The animal experiments were performed under animal protocol number (no. 2020-012-007) approved by the Duksung Women’s University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

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Cho Lee, AR., Moon, H. & Ishihara, K. Stabilization of Lipid Lamellar Bilayer Structure of Stratum Corneum Modulated by Poly (2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) in Relation to Skin Hydration and Skin Protection. Tissue Eng Regen Med 18, 953–962 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13770-021-00379-4

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